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Promise of Saints LT Armstead grows in camp

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — On paper, Terron Armstead is a second-year pro out of a small school with rather limited NFL experience for a starting left tackle.

The New Orleans Saints see him not only as their best bet to keep Drew Brees safe from jarring blindside hits, but as a player who’s not far from being viewed among the best at his high-pressure position.

Take it from outside linebacker Junior Galette, who last season racked up a career-high 12 sacks and has been trying to hone his skills against Armstead during training camp.

“He’s a beast. I’m giving him everything I’ve got,” Galette said. “Going into my fifth year in the league, he has the best feet by far” of any offensive tackle.

“Obviously, he still has a lot of room for improvement and so do I, but man, it’s iron sharpening iron,” Galette continued. “If I feel like I had a rough day, I could say, ‘Hey, this guy is pretty good too. He’s one of the better tackles.'”

The Saints selected 6-foot-5, 304-pound Armstead out of Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the third round of the 2013 draft. More than his size, the Saints like his athleticism. He has exceptional foot speed for an offensive lineman, running the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds.

“From a talent perspective, it’s off the charts,” veteran right tackle Zach Strief said. “He actually looks strange on tape. He is so much faster than what you’re used to” seeing from a player at that position.

Armstead had an inauspicious debut when started for the first time at Carolina in New Orleans’ penultimate regular-season game last season. He replaced Charles Brown, a 2010 second-round pick out of Southern California, who had been benched and has since left in free agency.

Armstead was matched up against star defensive end Greg Hardy, who sacked Brees three times. Twice, Armstead was called for false starts. New Orleans lost, 17-13.

Yet Armstead seemed to be more comfortable in his second start, not allowing a sack or committing any pre-snap penalties. He also drew positive reviews for his two playoff starts.

“I take it as a blessing, really, to get thrown into the fire like that,” Armstead said. “They say the game slows down. It’s just knowing plays. Hearing the terminology from Drew. My first snap, I could’ve sworn he was speaking Chinese or Spanish or something. Just letting it slow down, having veterans like Zach Strief, (right guard) Jahri Evans just being with you and helping you break down film and those type of things, it’s getting easy.”

Armstead also seized a chance this offseason to learn from the best left tackle in Saints history, Hall-of-Famer Willie Roaf.

The pair got together in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, where Roaf is from.

“I had a few questions like, where does he carry his hands? What’s he looking at? Those types of things, trying to pick his brain a little bit,” Armstead said. “It was more mental, but we got out and took a few sets. He still can move.”

Brees, who stands to take a beating whenever his left tackle falters, doesn’t sound too concerned about Armstead’s ability to protect him.

“You love everything you see,” Brees said. “You see guys that when there is a big challenge ahead of them, you sense some fear, you sense some nerves. What I see with him is intensity and confidence and that is what you love to see in a left tackle — ready for any type of challenge.”

NOTES: Brees, who sat out Saturday’s scrimmage with a strained oblique muscle on the left side of his abdomen, remained out of practice on Monday afternoon, but was present on the sideline, did some sprints and signed autographs. Coach Sean Payton described his condition as day to day and said it should not affect Brees’ availability for the regular season. “We’ll make sure it’s something that can’t get aggravated again,” Payton said. “When you look at what he does, on a daily basis with regards to torqueing his chest throwing the football, you just got to be smart. … It’s the type of thing though, if you try to all of a sudden force it back, you re-aggravate it.”… CB Champ Bailey, who was absent from practice since late last week with an undisclosed injury, attended Monday’s practice but was limited to conditioning work on a stationary bicycle.

___

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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